The rising price of gasoline and concern about greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are bringing fuel efficiency to the forefront in Germany. Fuel efficiency and alternative fuels will be topics of an expert panel at the Clean Moves Exposition during the Hannover Messe on April 23, 2008 at 10:30am.

Alternative fuels are playing a significant role in reducing auto emissions. Research is developing biofuels from non-food crops (i.e. "second generation") such as biomass-to-liquid or cellulosic ethanol and it is likely that additional sources such as biomethane or hydrogen could be available for automobiles in the near future.

The panel will be addressing scientific progress and investment potential in alternative fuels. Sustainability in first- and second-generation ethanol will be the focus of Alberto Carmona Bosch's presentation. He is the Business Development Director at Abengoa Bioenergy Europe. His company is Europe's largest ethanol producer.

Dr. Eckhard Boles and Mr. Marco Keller from the Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main will discuss the Pentalco Project. The project is a spin-off from a research group led by Dr. Boles, and is working to develop a straw-based second-generation ethanol process over the next two years. Franziska Muller-Langer and Michael Seiffert from the Institute for Energy and Environment Leipzig will present an assessment of biomethane compared to other biofuel options.

Dr. Ulrich Schmidtchen from the German Hydrogen and Fuel Association will discuss producing hydrogen derived from solar and wind power and expanding current infrastructure to make hydrogen fuel accessible to the everyday consumer.